Chemical and microbiological characteristics of sugar cane silages treated with microbial inoculants

Abstract

The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of microbial additives containing heterofermentative or homofermentative bacteria on the chemical and microbiological characteristics of sugar cane (Saccharum spp) silages. Sugar cane was inoculated with Lactobacillus plantarum, L. paracasei, L. brevis or L. buchneri previously isolated from sugar cane silages or commercial inoculants containing L. buchneri or L. plantarum. Silages were produced in laboratory silos (10 × 60 cm PVC tubes) and evaluated 90 days after ensiling. A randomized complete design was used with eight treatments (seven inoculants and control - without inoculant) and three replications. The inoculation with bacteria affected lactic acid bacteria, yeast populations, volatile fatty acids and ethanol contents in the silages. Inoculation with different strains of the same species of bacteria result in silages with different chemical and microbiological characteristics. Two of the L. buchneri strains show the best results in relation to silage quality.